


Tobirama aus

by Writingfish (idraax)



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Dubious Consent, Ghosts, Other, Reincarnation, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-05-19
Packaged: 2020-01-31 19:19:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 45
Words: 17,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18597757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idraax/pseuds/Writingfish
Summary: A collection of snippets from various aus, sketches of ideas that are most likely not going to be written out properly. They may also never get finished, so if you find one you like and want to expand on it, please feel free to!





	1. Chapter 1

He tastes bitterness on the wind. The night is quiet, still. He casts his senses out. There is no one awake, aside from the fire and wind that was approaching him.

He leans back against the wall, lets his breath mist out into the air.

"You were right," he says, quietly into the dark. "I should have considered what would happen after."

The presence flickers and then, a small shape slips out of the darkness into the small glow of a lamp. It is a fox, small with eyes as red as his. It also has one tail, though it practically glows to his senses.

The fox growls at him and flicks its tail.

"Yes," it says, "you should have."

It walks closer and he can sense his own water and lightning reach out. He pulls it back. Madara may not be as strong of a sensor, but even he would be able to sense the storm they would make.

The fox pads up to sit beside him. Together, they look into the dark.

"Say the word," the fox rumbles, "and I can get you out. I too know what it is like to be _caged_."

He sighs. The rebuttal is familiar on his lips.

"They are just worried."

His brother's gazes have been heavier now. Wary caution, mixed with fear. They make his stomach twist. He should be used to them, but he is not.

Beside him, the fox snarls.

"There is a thorn barrier around this village. You are watched by the trees."

He swallows, casts his senses out again. The village is still at rest. The chakra at the borders stirs, shifts.

_Guard change_

"After all that you've done," the fox continues, "they keep you here like-"

" _Enough_ ," he snaps at the fox. His voice does not rise above a whisper. There was no need to draw attention.

"Brother is just worried," he continues. "I am the only one he has left."

The fox looks at him and the tail shifts to sweep across the space before them.

"Are you," it asks.

For once, he does not have an answer.


	2. Unhappy arranged marriage au 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Au notes: in the future things go very wrong. Naruto decides to time travel in the hopes of fixing things. Unfortunately, someone with very large chakra resources is needed to power the seal they use, so Kurama volunteers to go since the bijuu can move through time more easily than humans.
> 
> Now, the previous Hokage are still around because they need all the help they can get. So, while they're picking the time period to go back to, Tobirama volunteers because he thinks everything started with Izuna's death. There are arguments, but eventually everyone agrees.
> 
> Unfortunately, human souls cannot travel through time as easily as bijuu can, so Naruto devises a seal that links Tobi and Kurama's souls together (it's pretty much a jinchuuriki seal except applied to the soul instead of skin). Anyways, they get sent back in time and Tobi comes up with a mission of indeterminate length so they can go hunt down Zetsu and stop the future apocalypse. 
> 
> In this universe/timeline, Tobi has issues with his brother and well, the distance has made Hashi more willing to focus on the clan, so when they come back, and Tobi does not hurt Izuna, Hashirama has the brilliant idea of marrying Tobi to Madara for peace.

Tobirama had never hated his brother so much.

Around them, the battlefield was silent. Even Izuna, who would most certainly have a comment, was staring at his brother in shock.

"You want me to marry your brother," Madara said.

"For peace yes"

Something twisted in him. His throat felt tight and within him, Kurama stirred.

 _He didn't even ask_ , the bijuu muttered.

 _No,_  Tobirama thought back at him. _He didn't_

He could feel Madara's gaze on him, running calculatingly over his body. He didn't look back, kept his eyes closed instead.

 _He'll cage you_ , Kurama said.

_I offered to release you. If I am to be caged, at least we have done what we came for._

_You would have died if you released me._

Naruto's seal had bound them together, only to be freed upon Tobirama's death. He could unpick the seal, Naruto had shown him how, but Kurama hadn't wanted that.

Tobirama didn't reply and felt Kurama curl up within their mindscape.

 _I am here,_  he said. _No matter what happens, I am here._

"I will marry him," Madara announced and his brother nodded.

"Good. Tobirama, come here."

Ice replaced the bleak feeling. They were doing this now apparently. He took a breath, locked up his heart.

"Yes, Senju-sama," he murmured and had the pleasure of seeing his brother wince as he stepped forward to join them.

They'd place chakara seals on him, cut of his senses. He'd be more blind than he already was.

A sliver of fire-wind chakra from within him reminded him that he wouldn't be alone. He had Kurama, he had his chakra and more importantly, a place to escape to when the world got to be too much.

"You agree to marry Uchiha Madara?"

There was no choice. Not for peace.

"Yes"


	3. Ghost Tobi

"He never talks about you," Izuna says to the black obelisk in the field. It's near one of the training fields, away from the center of the village. He very carefully does not look at the white figure behind him.

There is a sigh. Then a voice beside him.

"We did not have the relationship that you and your brother have."

Izuna frowns, remembers his sword slicing into flesh and the way only his brother had noticed.

"Brother forgets sometimes that he is not the only one who looks out for the clan," the ghost beside him says.

Something in Izuna sinks and possibilities come surging in. He can feel the weight of red eyes upon him.

"Stay alive," his once-enemy says. "Your brother will not take your death as well as mine did."

There are words trapped in Izuna's throat. He swallows them down. Nothing he said would change the reality. He nods instead.

There is the rustle of wind. Distant laughter and the fiery feel of his brother's chakra. He does not need to turn his head to know he is alone.


	4. Obito as TobiMada's son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Au notes: I just wanted single mom Tobi getting mad at Madara for running away from the village and leaving him to raise their son alone.  
> And Obito gets accidentally sent to the future and he's really upset, bc he left his parent behind like his deadbeat dad. Then Madara saves him and all Obito wants to do is just go home. Also, Obito has totally talked about his deadbeat dad with Madara.

Obito blinked back tears as one of his mother's fingers came up to brush the space beneath his eyepatch. The fingers were rough, paler than he remembered them.

"You gave away your eye," his mother murmured and Obito let out a sob, leaned into his mother's chest. There was no heartbeat, not with Edo Tensei, but for a moment, he could pretend.

"I'm sorry," he said, tears lacing his voice. "I know you told me not to touch your experiments, but I just wanted -"

Arms came up to encircle him and the sound of the battlefield faded.

"It's alright," his mother said. "Were you safe?"

Obito pulled back to look into sad, red eyes.

"Not really," he said. He brought up a hand and made a flower. It was one of the ones his mother liked, white with blue patterns on the petals.

"I got crushed under a rock defending my team," he started and saw his mother wince. "Then, I met dad, who gave me some of Uncle Hashi's cells and -"

His voice broke and he shut his eyes as a few tears trickled out. All these years he had wanted to go _home_  and now his mother was  _here_.

Fingers brushed his face again.

"Do you love them? The person you gave your eye to?"

Obito shrugged. The faint sound of footsteps reached him.

"I never got the chance to find out," he whispered.

His mother hummed.

"I hope you do. I...I wish your father had loved me enough to give me an eye."

There was a strangled sound behind them and then his father's voice.

"Obito, stop hugging the enemy!"


	5. Tobi/Kurama - Married to a fox god

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Senju Butsuma decided to marry his second oldest son in exchange for a fox god's protection

The battlefield was silent. His brother's words still rang in the air and looking from his brother's smiling face to his enemies, Tobirama fought the urge to sigh.

"You want me do to _what_?"

Madara didn't sound as angry as he could have been. It must have been shock.

"I offer you my brother's hand in marriage in return for a peace treaty," Hashirama repeated, still smiling.

Tobirama let his fingers drift to the side of his neck, where the fox god's seal was. Somehow, he didn't think his spouse would be happy to hear about this.

Beneath his fingers, the seal warmed. He frowned. Normally, he'd be happy for the opportunity to talk to his spouse, but not now.

"Brother," he started and Hashirama turned towards him. He had the _I am clan head and you will obey me_ expression that their father used to have. It didn't sit well on him.

"This is the best way Tobi," his brother said. "I will hear no objections."

The side of his neck started to burn and his frown deepened. He was _sure_  their father had told Hashirama about his marriage to the fox god. Did his brother forget?

"Brother," he said again. "Do you not remember what father -"

"I _said_  I would hear no objections Tobirama," his brother snapped before turning back to Madara.

"Well? Do you agree to this?"

Madara opened his mouth and the distant fire-wind chakra of his spouse was suddenly very present.

" _I_  have an objection," his spouse growled.

Tobirama looked up as a large, orange tail curled possessively around him. The seal hummed pleasantly on his skin and the fox god's chakra twined around his own.

"Hello, Kurama," he said, leaning back into the tail.

Across from them, Madara's eyes had widened and Tobirama wondered how their chakras felt to him. He, himself, was enjoying the feel of his spouse's fire-wind chakra wrapping around his own, shaded in all manner of possessive feelings.

"Tobi," his brother asked warily.

"As I was saying brother, did you not remember that father decided to marry me to the fox god in return for his protection?"


	6. Tobi talking to Izuna's grave

He shouldn't be here, in front of this stone on what was once Uchiha land. Both clans had left their dead behind and he should not _be_  here.

He steps forward instead, puts a bottle of sake in front of the stone and sits. He stays silent for a long time. It is not until the sun dims, starts to dip beneath the horizon that he speaks.

He talks about the village, how it grows day by day. The way his brother makes buildings with a thought and how he has to chase after him and _persuade_  him to make the floorplans logical.

He talks about the Uchiha, about the difficulty of integration, of _peace_ , of trying to set aside old wounds and to move forward.

"Your brother hates me," he says, whispering even though it is not a secret. "He did not take your death well."

He stops, thinks about the long nights full of planning, about how easy it would be to replace himself.

He leans forward, whispers to the grave.

"I think I should have died. My brother would have handled my death better."

Uchiha Madara would burn all of those in his path one day and all of his plans would not be able to stop it. The building of the village was just delaying the inevitable.


	7. Mission gone wrong

The village is dark when he stumbles in, vision blurring and blood dripping from places he doesn't want to think about. He catches himself on a wall, hand scraping against the wood. The only people around are asleep, will not see or hear anything if he collapses. He wants to, wants to lie down, sleep and hopefully never wake up. But, more than that, he wants his brother.

Time passes in a slow blur. He walks, just putting one foot in front of the other until he blinks and he is in the tower staring at a mission report on his desk. The handwriting does not look like his, but it is. Only he could have written those words, only he had gone on the mission to Hacho.

He stares at the words, uncomprehending until someone clears their throat. Burning fire-ash scrapes along his senses and he jumps. Pain shoots through him, reverberates down his spine and he collapses back into his chair.

Uchiha Madara stares at him with an unreadable expression and he _hadn't sensed him_. Why hadn't he sensed him?

"Senju," Madara says and he fights back a flinch. The tone hurts, sounds like _them_  and for a moment he is back there again.

"You look horrible," Madara continues and he _knows_  he's a mess, but Hashirama's chakra runs through this building more prominently than in any other and this is the safest place there is. Even _Madara_  feels safe right now, burning chakra all coiled up.

" _What_ ," Madara says and oh, had he said that aloud? He really wants his brother.


	8. Unhappy arranged marriage au 2

_You're withering_ , Kurama growled in his head.

 _I know_ , Tobirama said as he tracked Madara's chakra out of the compound. His husband would be gone for the day. They'd have the house to themselves.

 _Your charka is bound,_  Kurama says quietly. His fire-wind chakra rises, tries to corrode the seal. Tobirama pushes it down.

_Stop it_

There was a knock upon the door. He blinked, surprised. No one ever visits when Madara is gone. The knock came again and he rose from the table, wincing at the ache in his back.

Madara has always been a horrible lover.

He walked to the door and opened it to reveal a nervous looking Izuna. He glanced around. It was _just_  Izuna. Alone on the doorstep.

"Yes?"

Izuna shifted and something flickered across his face.

 _He feels guilty,_  Kurama said. His presence is closer to the surface now and Tobirama loosens his grasp so that Kurama can use his eyes if he wishes.

"Would you like to go for a walk?"

He stared at Izuna. He had been in the Uchiha compound for nearly a month and this was the first time anyone had offered to take him out of this house.

Involuntarily, he felt his lips tilt.

"I have missed the sunlight," he said and Izuna moved aside so he could step out of the house.

Izuna grips his elbow and he jumped. No one aside from Madara has touched him in a long time and Madara's touch burned.

His back throbbed again.


	9. Obito as MadaTobi's son 2

Obito silently groaned to himself as his father's monologue continued. His mask itched and he wanted to bring up a hand to scratch at the skin beneath, but it wasn't worth the lecture. He hoped something interesting would happen soon. His father had given him this speech so many times that he could recite it in his sleep.

In answer, there was a rush of what felt like death and then, came a chakra he hadn't felt since he was twelve. Water-lightning flared and his own, fire-wood-lightning started to reach out. He yanked it back, hoped his father wouldn't notice and let his eyes drift over to the crowd of people that had suddenly appeared.

His heart lurched and for a moment, it felt as if he was beneath those rocks again. There was his mother with cracked skin and red tattoos that had always looked like blood. He looked angry, but Obito knew him well enough to see the grief and despair underneath.

His fingers came up to grip his mask and he pulled it off without a thought. All he had wanted to do for nineteen years was to go home, but now, his home was here and there would be nothing stopping him.

There were a few gasps and he heard whispers of his name, but he ignored them all as he flung himself forward.

_"Mom!"_


	10. Zetsu whispering to Tobi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An AU in which Zetsu makes Tobirama think he's going mad and as a consequence leaves the village

At first, he ignored the thoughts. Tensions between the Uchiha and Senju were still high, so it was only natural that his mind whispered to him of taking his blade and sliding it between Madara's ribs. About how peace was so new and fragile that any death would tip it back into war.

He ignored it. Thought it was just his mind thinking of the worst possibilities.

The village foundations were laid and the whispers continued, pointing out all the ways everything could go wrong. He listened, altered the plans when it was logical, ignored the rest.

He didn't realize the thoughts were dangerous until they started talking about his brother and of how _easy_ it would be to pin the blame on the Uchiha for his death.

He still ignored them, until Mito got pregnant and they started whispering about their child and all the harm that could befall them. That was when he knew he had to leave.

Unfortunately, he couldn't just vanish. Too much depended on him. So, he planned, spent numerous late nights trying to make the village run without him. The whispers continued, got worse and worse as they mingled with his own thoughts about how he was a tool that was nearing the end of its usability. He had to leave and soon.

Then, finally, it was done. All the preparations were in place and his brother had long ago stopped asking him to come to dinner. No one would miss him for quite some time.

He waited until it was night, when the village was at its calmest. He knew the guard rotations, all the gaps he could use to slip through. He hoped Madara actually listened for once and enacted the security plan he had left on his desk. On his brother's was a note. One word written on it in shaky handwriting.

_Sorry_


	11. Tobi/Kurama - Married to a Fox God 2

His husband, Kurama thinks one day as he stares at the shine of Tobirama's hair, is quite pretty. The village is growing around them, with streets wide enough that he could pass through if he so wishes and he has the absurd urge to curl up around his husband and touch.

Unfortunately, he is a twenty seven meter tall fox and he'd crush his husband if he tried. Grumbling, he settled down on his paws, tails gently swishing. The trees swayed in the breeze and he smirked. It had taken him ages to find just the right way to move so that his tails wouldn't blow anything down.

He was a _god_. He should be able to touch his husband without hurting him. He frowned harder, tried to think. Perhaps he could change his shape? Ayame from the Northern Fox clan had married a human that way. He should take Tobirama and visit. Last he'd heard, they'd had a child and his husband adored children. Perhaps he could ask her for advice as well.

He rose to his feet, raised his tails and stepped delicately through the village. Everyone looked so _tiny_ , but the seal on his husband blazed brightly to his senses. He'd be able to find him easily enough.


	12. Unhappy arranged marriage au 3 and 4

Madara winced as Tobirama set a cup of tea beside his elbow without a word. He was limping slightly. He had hidden it well, but they had been living together for a few months and he was getting to know Tobirama well enough.

"Thank you," he muttered, taking a sip. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his husband freeze. Black tar crawled up his lungs.

_The sound of tears in the dark. The iron tang of blood. The rough wood of the door keeping him frozen in place._

He swallowed his sip, let it scald his throat.

"You wanted peace," Izuna had reminded him. "Maybe you should start with your husband."

He set the cup down. His mind was blank. He looked into the green of the tea, hoped it would give him answers.

The door creaked open, shut. He put the scroll down, rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, peace seemed further away than before.

* * *

"You are a disappointment, brother," Izuna said as he stared down at Madara.

Madara put down his cup. Sochu sloshed down the side. Around them, the bar had gone quiet. The patrons avoided looking in their direction.

"Excuse me?"

Izuna snorted, picked up Madara's cup and tipped it up to his lips.

"You know _perfectly_  well what I'm talking about."

Madara frowned at him. There had been a rumor going around about his terrible prowess in bed and it was apparent that his brother had something to do with it.

" _You_ "

"You should take better care of what's yours."

Izuna put the cup down and turned his back.

" _What_?"

Izuna looked over his shoulder, smirked.

"Your husband is  _quite_ handsome. Perhaps, he'd be more receptive to someone kinder."

He reached the door, pulled it open.

"And good brothers share don't they?'

He stepped out, let it shut to the sound of Madara's sputtering behind him.


	13. Bleach crossover- Toshiro as Tobi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An au in which Hitsugaya Toshiro is reincarnated as Senju Tobirama.

_He dreams of a dragon, sinuous and surrounded by ice. It says something, part of a name. He reaches out and the ice rushes towards him_.

He wakes up to death. Itama is gone and the knowledge makes ice creep into his heart. He reaches out to something that isn't there and as he rises, his body feels off. Too tall, too old, too different.

His eyes dart around looking for ghosts. There are none. Did they all move on? Wasn't he supposed to help with that?

He shakes the thoughts away. They make no sense and he has things to do.

He takes a step forward and his eyes catch on the sword leaning by the door. It's a katana, his katana, but it looks _wrong_. The sheath is black when it should be dark blue and there should be a bronze, four-point star as a guard.

He steps toward it. The dragon is in his mind again, speaking. This time the name is clear.

 _"Hyorinmaru,"_  he murmurs and the dragon looks at him and smiles.


	14. Ghost Tobi 2

"You can't put the Hyuuga next to the Aburame," Tobirama says and Izuna, very carefully, does not jump.

"Why not," he says under his breath.

His brother is at the desk next to him looking over a trade proposal between Konoha and the Land of Tea. Hashirama is at his own desk, humming absently, as he signs paperwork.

"The Hyuuga don't like the Aburame's kikaichu," Tobirama says. He leans _through_  Izuna to get a better look at the proposal and Izuna shivers. Madara looks up at the clatter of his chair.

"Izuna?"

Izuna blinks unsure of when exactly he stood up. He leans over and picks up the proposal, already thinking about how to reshuffle the clans.

Madara is still looking at him, eyes narrowed. Izuna, familiar with the look as he is, knows that he needs to say something before Madara gets all worried and pulls him away from his paperwork.

"The Hyuuga don't like the Aburame's kikaichu," he says and Madara frowns.

"We can't put them next to each other," he continues and there is still no comprehension in his brother's gaze.

"Put them next to the Nara," Tobirama says. His transparent finger points to a blank space to the right of Nara land. Izuna swallows hard at the sight. He has still not gotten used to Tobirama's current look, the one which was his fault.

Tobirama glares at him like he knows what he's thinking and pointedly moves his gaze towards Madara. His brother is looking worried. Izuna has been silent for too long.

"We can put them next to the Nara," Izuna says.

"It's good for the bugs," he adds on impulse. Madara nods slowly, but his gaze is wandering over to the supposedly empty space Izuna is staring at. Quickly, Izuna looks at the map of Konoha on the proposal and does not look up until he feels his brother's gaze move away. The clan already is starting to think he's gone mad, he does not need his brother thinking the same.


	15. Minato/Kushina/Tobirama 1 & 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Au notes: At the end of his life, when fighting against the gold and silver brothers, Tobi activates an untested seal that dumps him in a different dimension with no way of getting home. This dimension is several decades ahead of his own and Izuna didn't die, so Madara had no reason to go mad. Tobirama was still the second hokage because Madara did the job for about 3 months after Hashi retired and then shoved it on Tobi.
> 
> So, by the time Canon!Tobi arrives in the dimension, Minato is hokage, Kushina is still Kurama's jinchuuriki and Naruto is a genin. Now, in this dimension, Naruto's parents have an open relationship, so no one is surprised when Minato starts flirting with Tobi.
> 
> There's all sorts of other little details I had in mind like the Hokage mountain having several katon marks in it because even though Madara didn't want his face on the mountain as Hokage 1.5, he still wanted to make his mark

Naruto stared at the scene he had come upon. Was that his father _flirting_  with the Nidaime?

"You go, pretty boy!"

And there was his mother, encouraging him. Naruto sighed. His parents' open relationship wasn't typically this obvious. People still thought that his mother's meetings with Uchiha Mikoto were just two mothers discussing their children. Naruto didn't know _exactly_ what they did, but his mother always came back in a better mood and with her hair messier than usual.

He eyed the Nidaime, who seemed confused but not uncomfortable. With the way his parents were at it, they'd drag him in soon enough. Hmm, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad having a third parent that was more reasonable than the others.

He sighed again, walking forward. If he was going to be family, he should make a good impression by saving him from his overzealous parents.

* * *

 

"Senju," yelled a reedy voice.

Tobirama turned and yelped as a cane hit the back of his knees. Uchiha Madara glared at him and he could easily see why people were jealous. Madara's hair, though white, had maintained its luster. He hoped his own hair would do the same when he got to be that age.

"How dare you _die_  without naming a successor," Madara snapped. "It was bad enough that I was Hokage after Hashirama, but then I had to retake the post because you _died_."

He swung his cane, this time aiming higher and Tobirama dodged. Madara squinted at him, frowning.

" _Why_ do you look younger," he asked grumpily.

"I transferred dimensions," Tobirama said and hissed as the cane hit him again. Madara was quite fast with that thing.

"Stop lying," Madara growled. "You just don't want to share."

"He wasn't lying, Madara-san," Minato said, coming to a stop in front of them. He was carrying a basket and had a yellow blanket folded over one arm. It was the same shade as his hair.

Madara looked suspiciously between them both.

" _Really_?"

"Yes"

"Huh?"

Madara stepped closer and whacked them both on the shoulders. Both of them sputtered, bending over with the force.

"You keep him in line," he said to Minato and then, turning to Tobirama "you be less grumpy"

Grumbling, he stalked off without waiting for an answer.

Tobirama straightened and rubbed his shoulder.

"How is he still so strong?"

Minato shrugged and held out the basket to inspect it. It didn't seem damaged, though the blanket was nearly sliding off. He held his arm up and let gravity tilt it back towards his shoulder.

"No one knows," he said, cheerfully. "Do you want to join Kushina and I for a picnic?"

Tobirama considered it. He didn't have anything important to do and well, he'd been banned from the library for a week, so that was out of the question.

"Sure"

 


	16. Ice Au (In which Tobi is like the White Witch of Narnia)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hashirama dies, Tobirama is scary and Madara regrets his life choices

Ice crunched under his boots as he strode up to the wall. It glowed in the light, almost a pale blue. It was thick, opaque and he could only make out the faintest of shadows on the other side. He placed a gloved hand on it, stepped closer and squinted. There was no movement. Were the people on the other side still alive?

He stepped back. There was nothing he could do about it. Early efforts to break the wall had only thickened the ice. Now, they left it alone, pretended it hadn't changed the climate and had forced them to move off of their ancestral land to warmer climes.

He sighed and clutched the flowers tighter. He came here every year and walked the length of the wall until he reached the grave. A simple black stone, it was the only part not covered in ice. It had his friend's name inscribed upon it and he came to remember their dream.

The wind bit as he walked along the wall, towards the black spot in the distance. It picked up as he got closer and abruptly, his footsteps stopped. He wasn't alone.

"Madara"

His name, spoken into the silence. The voice hoarse, tired and _empty_. It had always been empty, ever since that day.

He stepped forward, ignoring the twisting in his chest. He kept his chakra clamped down, hidden inside himself. It wouldn't do to upset Tobirama. Madara had seen him upset and didn't want to see it again.

Silently, he stepped up to the grave and knelt, placing the flowers on the cold ground. Normally, he would speak, tell Hashirama about the clan and their life in the Southlands. But, not with Tobirama here.

He rose and stepped back and kept stepping back. It wouldn't do to turn his back to Tobirama. Whatever feeling had stayed his hand on that day wouldn't have lasted.

"You come here every year."

Madara stopped, held his body still. Tobirama took a step towards him and he fought the urge to shiver. His red eyes were pale, washed out and the tattoos on his face looked like fresh blood.

Tobirama took another step towards him and then around him. He circled Madara and the only sound was the crunch of his steps.

" _I_  don't have to do anything to you," he murmured. "No, your own guilt does it for me."

Madara could feel his heartbeat pick up as a cold finger drew a line down his face. He fought the urge to activate his Sharingan. Whatever bloodline Tobirama had awoken that day had been immune.

"You were crying," Tobirama said, still in that same empty tone. There was something else underneath. Madara didn't bother trying to figure out what it was. He wanted to leave, _had_  to leave before Tobirama's madness froze him.

Tobirama stepped away and turned his back, lifting his hand in a wave.

"See you next year"

It was a long time before Madara moved, hurrying away from the Senju clan lands as fast as possible.


	17. Unhappy arranged marriage au 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place before parts 2, 3 and 4 but after part 1
> 
> Also, this chapter needs some sort of warning, but I'm not sure what so just watch out for implications of sexual violence and dubious consent

He shivered, sweat drying on his skin, as he strained his ears to listen to the rest of the house. Somewhere within it, his now-husband was pacing the floor with a faint angry murmur. Within him, Kurama stirred and he shifted reflexively.

Pain shot down his spine. Throbbed with every beat of his heart. He didn't make a sound, just stared at the ceiling and waited for it to ebb.

 _So, that was sex_ , Kurama grumbled. _Can't say I liked it._

He laughed softly. It turned into gasping as pain surged through him.

_What, you weren't around when your previous Jinchuuriki had it?_

He could sense Kurama's confusion.

 _Mito was your first Jinchuuriki,_  he pointed out. _She had children._

Kurama radiated disbelief.

_You do remember who she was married to correct? Do you really want to contemplate that?_

Anything was better than contemplating his pain and the man who put it there. Madara was still angrily pacing the house somewhere and he could feel himself shiver as sweat dried on his skin. He had to get up, wash himself and the bedding.

 _Naruto's mother was your second Jinchuuriki,_  he pointed out instead.

Kurama grumbled something and he could feel a flicker of fire-wind chakra curl around his soul.

 _I never paid attention,_  he rumbled. _I was too busy staying angry._

There was silence between them as he contemplated moving. The pain hadn't ebbed, but perhaps moving would lessen it. Somehow, he didn't think so.

But, before he could make a decision, Kurama spoke again.

_Was this truly your first...?_

He thought back to his first life. There had been so much tension, even after the village was built. Then, he had acquired students who, along with his brother, had tended to barge in at all hours of the day. Then, he had become Hokage and had drowned in administration.

 _There was no time_ , he said, ignoring all the other factors that had given him a lonely life.

 _Apparently, I didn't miss anything,_  he added dryly.

Kurama snorted and finally, the pain began to ebb. Carefully, he moved his hips, hissing as pain flared.

 _I hope it gets better,_  he said and didn't know whether he was speaking to Kurama or himself.


	18. Zetsu whispering to Tobi 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tobi became a missing-in

Officially, Senju Tobirama was Kohona's first missing-nin. However, he had apparently left the village in better shape than before, so people tended to ignore this fact.

Unofficially, the title belonged to Yamamoto Takeshi who had fallen in love with a Kiri nin and had caused considerable damage when breaking her out of T&I.

Neither of these facts were of much comfort to Team Seven, who were currently gaping as a giant water dragon swept away the rocks that were about to fall on all of them.

"Oh," Senju Tobirama, said as he studied them. "You're _Kohona_  nin. How's the village?"

They gaped at him. It was understandable but still rude.

 


	19. Obito as MadaTobi's Kid - Branch 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tobirama uses an untested seal and winds up in the future, showing up in time to distract Rin from her badly thought out plan.

Obito arrived just in time to see a man fall out of the sky. Familiar wind-lightning chakra tugged at his senses and he didn't need Kakashi's shout to tell him who it was.

He ran forward, forgetting that his mask was falling off. It thumped to the ground somewhere behind him.

_"Mom!"_

Kakashi's gasp of his name went ignored as he stumbled into a kneeling position, fingers already reaching out to check for a pulse.

"Wait," Rin said from somewhere behind him. "He called the Nidaime, mom."

"Obito's _alive_ ," Kakashi said, "and _that's_  what you focus on?"

His fingers found the pulse, faint but there. He sagged in relief before twisting to look at Rin. His eyes felt hot and everything was in sudden, sharp focus. Had his Sharingan changed?

Rin gasped and started forward.

"Obito, your eyes-"

He shook his head.

"Later," he said, pointing. "He's hurt."

Rin blinked, instantly shifting into medic mode and he moved aside, fingers still on his mother's neck.


	20. Hashi & Tobi - Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No idea what's going on here, but they were having a fight

"They were my brothers too," Tobirama howled at him. The tattoos on his skin stood out and abruptly he realized they were wounds, that the third one was for him.

His brother's hands slammed the desk as he leaned forward. His eyes were wet. He could smell tea on his brother's breath and the wood beneath them groaned. New branches sprouted and one of them curled around his brother's wrist.

"I am a _sensor_ ," Tobirama snapped at him and Hashirama knew that whatever he said next would be nothing good. His brother often didn't remind him of that fact, that he could feel every chakra signature in the village and probably in Fire Country.

"I can feel _every_ single signature in this village," his brother said, leaning even closer. "I knew their signatures as well as I know yours and"

The desk between them strained with the weight. Hashirama's eyes flickered to where the tendrils of wood were curled around his brother's wrists. They were thickening.

" _I felt them die_ ," his brother said, words hissed between his teeth. "I felt them die, so don't you dare say I never cared about them as much as you."

Hashirama gulped, feeling like a void had opened up beneath him. There was so much pain engraved into every line of his brother's body. Grief that had been papered up and never properly given voice to.

He realized that he had never bothered to ask, had never bothered to make sure that his brother was _actually_  alright. He had been too busy dreaming of peace to notice those close to him. And now, as his brother broke down on top of him, he didn't even know where to start.


	21. Zetsu whispering to Tobi 3

Hashirama stared as the shark-man turned his head and yelled.

"Yo, sensei, Konoha's here."

Next to him, Madara shifted, Sharingan active and scrutinizing every inch of the battlefield they had come across. It was torn, with earth upended and large amounts of water everywhere. There was so much chakra too, enough that even a non-sensor could feel it.

He focused as shaky footsteps came forward. The breath left his lungs, wood threatened to burst from the earth underneath him and he reached out to clutch Madara's arm tightly.

Madara grunted, but didn't remove his grip, leaned in a little instead.

"It's him," he said quietly. There was something in his voice. Hashirama didn't like it. He hadn't seen his brother since that night before he left the village. The memory was still etched in him of his brother's look, love and despair coiled into firm determination.

"His chakra's off," Madara murmered. "It's _scarred_."

Hashirama hummed, not taking his eyes off the figure coming towards them. He had taken his eyes off his brother once, never again.

His brother wobbled and the shark-man moved.

"Easy, sensei," he said, slinging an arm around his brother's shoulders.

"It's done," his brother said, voice raw, thin and _old_. "I can-"

The shark man's arm tightened around his brother's shoulders.

"Gotta do one more thing first," he said. "You owe some people an explanation."

His brother's eyes, redder than he remembered, focused on them. His face shifted, fell into something vulnerable that Hashirama hadn't seen since Itama had died.

He lurched forward, avoiding Madara's attempts to pull him back.

_"Tobirama"_


	22. Unhappy arranged marriage au 6

Tobirama stared at the udon in front of him. Madara's gaze on him was a burning thing that pricked at his skin. It appeared that he would watch him eat.

_Do you think it's poisoned?_

Inwardly, he snorted.

_No. There are easier ways to kill me and the treaty matters too much._

He picked up a noodle and took a bite. It was salty, with too much sauce, but it was edible. He chewed slowly, swallowed.

"Well," Madara demanded.

Tobirama paused, wondered what to say. This was the first time that Madara had deigned to cook for him and his husband had quite the temper.

The silence stretched on and Madara's face twisted, falling.

"You can tell me the truth," he said quietly, swallowing hard. "I won't hurt you for it."

 _That doesn't feel like a lie,_  Kurama said carefully. As always his chakra was ever present, close enough to the surface as it could get without disturbing any of the seals.

 _Maybe, he's trying to be nice,_  Tobirama said to him. It didn't seem likely.

"It's a little salty," he said out loud and Madara groaned.

"I knew I added too much salt," he said. "Thank you for telling me."

Tobirama stared at him as he muttered something about Takeshi being a terrible teacher. He hoped it wasn't Uchiha Takeshi the blacksmith, because Izuna said he was a terrible cook.

Madara poked at the noodles, still muttering. Tobirama watched him, confused. His husband seemed to be completely focused on the dish and ignoring his criticism. He had even _thanked_  him.

I _s this a genjutsu?_

In their mindscape, Kurama shrugged. The ground beneath him quaked, sending the surrounding water rippling.

 _I don't sense any foreign chakra_.

His tails waved, one of them even curled into the form of a question mark.

_Perhaps he's trying to be nice?_

_Why?!_

Kurama didn't have an answer for him.

He blinked back to the world around him and Madara was staring at him. Tobirama focused on the tip of his nose as he waited for him to speak.

Madara frowned but reached behind him to pick up a plate.

"I made mochi too."


	23. Obito as MadaTobi's Kid 3

Madara leaned on his gunbai and stared at nothing in particular. This had not been part of the plan. The reanimated dead were understandable. Hashirama was the only one who could match him and the other three Hokage were powerful in their own right. But....he had listened to Obito talk about his father during their training sessions while he sat on his back and insulted him.   
He had even agreed with his descendant that his father was a poor one.

 _You_  are his father.

The revelation had yet to sink in. Involuntarily, his eyes drifted over to where Obito was hugging his mother. That was another surprise altogether.

He pushed away the hurt that came with the thought. It didn't matter to him what Tobirama had done. He was only using him for stress relief that was all.

Yet, the hurt remained.

He growled and tried to push it down further. Ignored the deep stab of betrayal that came with it. He had agreed with Obito that his father was a poor one, so it made sense that his son wouldn't have told him anything.

Regret, an old and familiar flavor, welled up again. Fresh as the day Izuna died. He swallowed it down. No matter his feelings, no matter _Obito's_ feelings, Tobirama was the enemy. Had always been the enemy.

He strode forward, just in time to catch a sentence.

"I wish your father had loved me enough to give me an eye."

His chest seized. Something emerged from his throat too strangled to be proper words. Tobirama was the _enemy_. He had to remember that.

He cleared his throat.

"Obito, stop hugging the enemy!"


	24. Ice Au 2

In the frigid landscape, there was a loud crunch. Then, a gasp. Snow flew around, whipped up by the figure stumbling to his feet. He shivered, hunching into himself and looking around warily. There was just white, with a few specks of brown in the distance. Trees perhaps?

He took a step forward, stumbled to his knees. More snow flew up. He placed his hands on the ground, fingers already growing colder by the moment, and reached for the earth. It reached back, hesitant.

The forest had shrunk. The trees, roots weakened by the permafrost had long since died. Whatever hardy bushes there were only gave off the faint sensation of unease.

He took a breath, hands clenched into fists on the ground, and let it out slowly. Then, he got to his feet and staggered onward. 

* * *

 

Miles away, in a compound covered in ice, Tobirama gasped awake. He rose from the bed, ice thickening beneath his feet. Even after all these years, the nightmares hadn't faded. He could still feel traces of his brother's sunshine-wood chakra in the air.

Automatically, he cast his senses out, expecting to feel nothing but the muted chakra of his clan. They had learned to suppress it in the early days when everything was still freezing over and any chakra spike threatened to bring his attention.

Sunshine-wood, a dim sun in a frozen landscape, met his senses. He gasped, hand reaching up to touch his chest. For a moment, he could hear his brother's voice, his last words.

_"I wanted peace"_

Then, his eyes narrowed. The pale red turning dark. Ice formed beneath his feet, frosted over the windows, slipped under the door to spread itself over the rest of the house.

It must be a trick and when he found whoever decided to use his _brother's_  chakra signature, they would die.


	25. Tobi/Kurama - Married to a Fox God 3

The Fox God's temple was hidden in a valley covered by trees. It rose from the stone in a bloom of orange, the same shade as the God's fur. Tobirama barely caught a glimpse of the foxes on the doors before he was steered inside.

His father's grip on his shoulder was a heavy weight as they followed the priest silently through the temple. The floor was smooth, polished black and he could see his own reflection in it, uncertain and shaded with fear.

The temple got warmer as they went deeper. The Fox God's chakra was a heavy blanket of fire and wind that pressed down upon him. He felt very, very small under its weight.

Then the priest, clad in red robes with orange trim, pushed open the doors of the inner sanctum and Tobirama beheld the Fox God for the first time.

He towered over them, looking off into the distance. His tails waved lazily in the air, sending small gusts of wind through the room.

The priest cleared his throat.

"My lord, Senju Butsuma and son."

He bowed before backing away slowly and leaving the room. The doors shut behind him with a clang and Tobirama squashed the urge to flinch at the sound.

The Fox God turned to face them, bending his head to regard them with his large red eyes.

His father pushed him forward and Tobirama barely managed to keep himself from stumbling. It wouldn't do to embarrass himself in front of a God.

"Hello, Kyuubi-sama," he whispered, bowing.

The Fox God's gaze was heavy on his skin. It felt the same as his chakra, warm and heavy. It stayed on him for a long moment before lifting.

"Leave us," the God rumbled at his father.

He was a little disappointed that his father didn't even protest but instead backed away quickly through the doors.

The Fox God turned back to him and lowered himself down on his paws. His eyes focused on him and he leaned forward to take a deep sniff. One of his tails came up to brush its tip against his cheek, just underneath his eye.

He blinked, unsure of whether or not he was allowed to speak.

"What is your name?"

"Senju Tobirama, my lord," he whispered and one very large ear flicked at the sound of his voice.

"Hmm," the Fox God rumbled, rolling his name around in his mouth. "Senju Tobirama, a good name"

"Thank you"

Another tail came up between them. It held a Shogi board.

"Do you play?"

He blinked in surprise. Apparently, the Fox God enjoyed a game of Shogi. He nodded, taking a seat.

"Good. You can have the first move."

Tobirama nodded and picked up the first piece.

They played for hours. The Fox God, Kurama, as he learned when he grew bold enough to ask his name, was a clever opponent. He moved his pieces delicately with a tail, leaving subtle openings that weren't actually openings at all. Tobirama was surprised to find himself enjoying it.

Eventually, however, the game had to end as all games do. He moved his piece and the Fox God regarded him with an impressed gaze.

"No one has won against me in a long time," he rumbled. He smiled, teeth sharp in the light.

"Pretty, smells nice _and_ plays a good game of Shogi" - the tail curled around Tobirama tightened - "Yes, I shall keep you Senju Tobirama. Will you become my bride?"

That was what he was here for. His father would be pleased. One son in return for the Fox God's protection was the bargain and he would uphold his end of it.

"Yes," he whispered and wondered how his life would change.


	26. Unhappy arranged marriage au 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief calm before the storm that is going to be the next snippet

Konohagakure had been built six months ago and yet his brother never visited, hadn't even _made_  any inquiries of visiting. Was he upset with him?

Tobirama closed his eyes again, letting the sound of rain fade into the background. Normally, he'd be pushing his chakra into it and letting it refine his sensory range until he could almost feel the chakra in the trees, in the earth. Unfortunately, the seal was still on him. The Uchiha had been dragging their feet on removing it as per the treaty. He didn't think his brother had pushed for its removal either.

He groaned and leaned his head on the window. The glass was cool, almost damp. He could almost smell the wet earth and fizzy air of the storm outside.

 _I wonder if Madara will let us out,_  he thought to Kurama.

The fox stirred in their mindscape, opening one giant eye.

 _I don't think so,_  he said. _Not even with the way he's been acting lately._

Madara had been acting _off_  for the last few months. He was almost conventionally nice, with bits of his original angry personality leaking through. He didn't even poison any of the meals he had given Tobirama.

 _I'd burn it out of your system,_  Kurama muttered.

He hummed in agreement, shifting to press up further against the window. There was no one outside and the sakura trees swayed madly in the wind.

_Have you heard from your siblings yet?_

Kurama had been trying to contact them, to try and rebuild their relationship. So far none of them had answered.

 _Not yet,_  he said grumpily. His tails lashed the ground of their mindscape, sent earth flying into the sky. Lightning struck down the pieces and Tobirama frowned. His mindscape was getting more and more stormy by the day. That couldn't mean anything good.


	27. Obito as MadaTobi's Kid 4

Tobirama knew what it was like to lose a child. Obito, only twelve, was _gone_ , had been gone for years. His heart still twisted thinking about it. Even now, years later as he wandered through the village, the whispers still followed him. About how terrible of a parent he was, how they should have known considering who the father was. The only good thing about Obito's disappearance (not death, never death. His son _wasn't dead._ He refused to believe that) was that his son wasn't around to hear the rumors.

Years passed and the rumors died down. His students grew, he became Hokage and throughout all of it, he never stopped missing Obito. He and his team took a mission and he used himself as a distraction so they could escape. His last thought was that he could see Obito again. (He wanted to beg for his forgiveness in the Pure land for how he failed him.)

Then, he opened his eyes to a battlefield and _very_  familiar chakra. Fire-lightning reached out before it was yanked back. Strangely, it held a flavor of wood.

His hand tightened on his sword, somehow still with him even in death. Madara was speaking, something about a grand plan for peace. How was he still alive? Their summoner hadn't said much, had just stated that Konoha and the world needed help.

He swallowed hard but followed the others, prepared for battle. Madara (and oh how that stung. He was never enough for his lover) was there, standing with a man in a one-eyed mask. That same fire-lightning-wood chakra reached out and all of a sudden the man was tossing his mask away and rushing over.

_Obito_

The pieces of his heart barely held together by duty re-broke and healed in the same moment. His son was _alive_. His seals hadn't killed him. If Edo Tensei hadn't prevented it, he would have cried.

He found himself with his arms full of Obito who clung to him just as hard. The battlefield melted away around them. It could wait, everything could wait. He had his _son_.


	28. Ice Au 3

He stepped as lightly on the ground as he could. Ice still crunched beneath his feet and he winced. He didn't know why his brother came here every year. Madara was still chasing ghosts instead of putting them to rest.

He swallowed hard as he looked at the wall. It had gotten thicker as the years passed. In the beginning, it was a transparent, fragile thing that rose with the force of Tobirama's scream.

He shivered, pushed the memory away. He should have taken his rival down when he was overcome with grief. Then, maybe they would still be on their land.

He walked alongside the wall, taking quick, frequent glimpses at it. Unlike his brother, he had a sword strapped to his back though it most likely wouldn't offer any protection against the demon that owned these lands.

The black stone of the grave appeared before him. The only spot of color ahead in the white. He stepped forward, placed the flowers down.

The old ones were frozen over, their colors still bright against the ice. He rose, resisting the urge to reach for his sword.

There were eyes on him. He could feel their gaze on his back. His skin prickled and he turned around slowly. He wasn't surprised to see the demon in front of him.

"You aren't Madara"

The empty tone, soft yet so loud in the quiet sent prickles down his spine. He felt like a rabbit cowering before a predator. His eyes heated and reluctantly, he stopped the flow of chakra to them. Activating the Sharingan would most likely be taken as an act of aggression.

" _Do not_  antagonize him," Madara had hissed at him before dissolving into great, wracking coughs. "Just leave the flowers and _go_."

Tobirama tilted his head. Ice flaked off the side of his neck as he moved forward.

"Why are you here?"

There was no change in the tone and abruptly, he realized Tobirama wanted an answer. Of course the first emotion he would show was curiosity. Perfect for a man who had sought to raise the dead.

"Madara is sick," he replied, hating the way his voice trembled. "He asked me to come."

The ice near his feet rose and he stepped backward, just barely keeping his balance. The ice continued to rise until it reached just below his chin. Tobirama stepped up to it, _stared_  at him with those pale, washed-out eyes.

He took another step back, wobbled.

" _Do not_  come back," Tobirama said, placing a hand on the wall between them.

He nodded and Tobirama held his gaze for an endless moment.

Then, he turned away. The ice wall grew higher, thickened and Izuna decided it was the perfect time to leave.


	29. Unhappy arranged marriage au 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I feel benevolent today, so here have another bit of the unhappy arranged marriage au where things _really_ pick up. Also, this scene was in the works from the start pretty much.

"Hello Senju-sama"

Collectively, both the Senju and Uchiha winced. Tobirama ignored them as he stepped forward. His brother was no longer his clan head, he could call him what he wanted.

"Tobirama?"

It hurt to hear his brother's voice, but it didn't matter. What was one more hurt on top of all the rest?

Behind the village gates, Matatabi yowled. One of her tails lashed at the gate, burning the wood. It was quickly put out by a blast of water.

" _Where_  is my brother?!"

_What did you tell her?_

Kurama looked contrite. His head drooped to the ground of their mindscape and his snout nearly touched the churning ocean.

 _I told her about us,_  he said. _I believe she wanted to see for herself._

Tobirama felt a pang of envy twist through him lightning fast. If only his own brother had cared that much. Hashirama hadn't even visited once. He only saw him during official functions when Madara deigned to let him out. That was changing, slowly.

"I sent for Mito," his brother was saying to Madara when Tobirama surfaced from the mindscape. "She can trap the bijuu."

Tobirama frowned and Kurama's chakra rose. The fire-wind gained a corrosive edge that he hadn't felt since before they had come back in time.

"All she wants to know is where her brother is," he said sharply. Both Madara and his brother blink at him.

"Do you have a plan," Madara asked.

"Mito will know what to do," Hashirama said at the same time.

"Yes," he said, answering Madara. "Let me talk to her."

The skepticism on his husband's face was not a surprise. He had thought that they were making progress, but apparently, that hadn't led to any sort of trust between them.

"She'll listen to me," he said.

" _She_ ," his brother asked.

Tobirama nodded and Kurama pushed more of his power to the surface. The chakra repression seal burned against his skin as it struggled to contain the power.

 _Let me talk to her_ , Kurama said.

Tobirama frowned and closed his eyes. He opened them a world besieged by storm. His mindscape looked worse than the last time he had seen it. Dark clouds covered the sky and large bolts of lightning constantly struck the ground and ocean, churning it constantly.

The island they were on was shrinking. Water smashed onto Kurama's paws and he got to his feet with a grumble.

 _She'll listen if I talk to her_ , Kurama said. His voice boomed around them and his tails whipped the air into a cold swirl.

Tobirama leaned against the white, almost transparent tree in the center of the island. The representation of their seal, it was rooted deeply in the ground.

_If I let you talk to her, you know what that means for me._

Kurama flicked a tail in answer.

 _I do,_  he said. _Would it be so terrible?_

Tobirama looked at the mindscape, at the ruin it had become. He thought about his relationships about how the only positive one in his life had been his friendship with Izuna. Compared both of his lives.

 _No,_  he murmured. _I suppose not_

He had hoped things would get better, but it didn't look like they were.

He stepped away from the tree, keeping one hand on its bark.

 _You can talk to her_ , he said. _Tell her I say hello_

He closed his eyes and opened them to his brother and husband's worried gazes.

"I will talk to the Nibi," he said. "Her name is Matatabi."

He walked past them. Kurama's chakra burned in his veins and pushed up against the seal. He could feel it flare before it broke.

Hashirama reached out to touch his shoulder and he dodged with a snarl.

" _Do not touch me_ "

"Your seal," Madara started.

Tobirama cut him off.

"Is gone and will stay _gone_. You were supposed to remove it when the village was stable. It has been stable for _quite_  some time now and you have not done so."

Madara didn't reply, but his eyes had gone wide and something very much like terror was displayed on his face. Bitter triumph seared through him. Finally, they were seeing him for who he was.

Naruto's seal warmed on his chest, a gentle heat that eased the constant ache in his heart. Kurama's chakra flickered on his skin, reddish-orange covering him in a blanket of warmth.

"Tobi," his brother said, uncertain. Madara hovered next to him, tension lining every inch of his body.

He grinned at them, feeling his teeth sharpen. The surprise and horror on their faces looked beautiful as he took a step backward and felt the wood of the gates pressing against his back.

"Your turn, Kurama."

Kurama rose and he fell away, let himself fall into the mindscape. Thunder boomed, lightning crashed to the earth and finally, the rain began to fall.


	30. My Best Friend Kurama - Tobi & Kurama best friends au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kurama meets a human in the woods and is intrigued.

It all started when Kurama stumbled across a human in his forest. The human was still, more still than he had seen any human ever be. It was also sitting underneath a waterfall.

At first, Kurama ignored it. The human was quiet and would most likely _stay_  quiet. He could take a nap in peace. This was the best spot after all, with the perfect patch of sun. One human wouldn't ruin it.

He woke up only when the human left. It didn't even look back at him and he was a little disgruntled. He was the _nine-tails_. He should be revered.

The pattern continued for a long time until one day, his curiosity got the better of him.

"Why do you come here human," he growled, sticking his snout right in the human's face to better see its expressions.

The human opened its eyes, blinked and then fell over into the water with a loud splash. It came up for air, sputtering.

"Don't do that," it said. Its voice was young but deep. Male then, Kurama decided.

He leaned over the water and _very_  carefully picked up the human by the fur. The human jumped but held still until he dropped him onto the rock he was sitting on earlier. Then, he scrambled to his feet and looked at Kurama.

He had red eyes, Kurama noted, like him.

"Well," he said. "Why do you come here human?"

The human stepped backward, wrinkling his nose.

"Your breath smells," he informed Kurama. "And I come here to meditate. My home is loud."

Kurama frowned and huffed out a breath in the human's face just because he could. The human wrinkled his nose again and stepped back until his back met rock.

"Why here human? There are other places."

The human frowned at him and crossed his arms over his body.

" _I_  have a name. It's Tobirama. Please use it."

Kurama blinked at him. A tail came up to poke the human and curiously, the human didn't back away.

"Tobirama"

He tested out the name. It was interesting, syllables rolling on his tongue.

"I am Kurama"

He introduced himself. It was only polite.


	31. Ghost Tobi 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted this to be shenanigans with Tobi yelling commentary at Izuna during village meetings bc apparently, no one knows how to run a village, but plot happened.

Izuna stops in front of the black stone and puts down a bottle of sake. He places two cups beside it and opens the bottle. He pours it into the cups and picks one up.

"Really," Tobirama says beside him, "this wasn't necessary."

Izuna ignores him with ease. He's done this every time Izuna came here. He clinks the cup against the stone and swallows it down with a single gulp. He does the same for the other cup.

"You could just drink at home you know."

Izuna rolls his eyes. Tobirama knows why he does this. It's easy to talk to graves, expected even. People assume that Izuna is here for his clan or here to pay respects to the only rival he ever had. No one knows the real reason.

"There's something wrong with my brother," he says, setting the cup down.

"That's nothing new," Tobirama replies as Izuna takes a seat in front of the stone.

"He thinks the Senju are going to attack us which is strange because he was the one who wanted peace in the first place."

Izuna closes his eyes as he thinks about his brother's odd behavior. His brother had kept vanishing at inopportune moments. It was as if he was avoiding Izuna.

"He keeps looking at the shadows," he continues. "And sometimes, he comes back smelling of rotten eggs."

There is silence next to him and all of a sudden the air is cold, almost frigid. Izuna shivers, inches away.

" _Zetsu_ ," Tobirama hisses. Izuna glances at him and his figure is more solid looking than it normally was. His eyes were redder too and Izuna could almost see his cold aura.

He puts more space between them and Tobirama takes a visible breath. Izuna doesn't know why. It's not like he needs to breathe anymore. The guilt that appears at the thought is old and familiar and he easily sets it aside. They had been over this. Tobirama had forgiven him.

"What's a Zetsu," he asks instead.

"A nightmare," Tobirama growls. "A thing that shouldn't exist. We need to find it and destroy it before it hurts your brother."

Izuna gives him a questioning, incredulous look.

"You learn a lot of things when you're dead," Tobirama says in response.

"Really?"

Tobirama is about to answer when someone clears their throat. Immediately, Izuna is on his feet, Sharingan activated.

" _Brother_ ," Tobirama breathes.

"Who are you talking to," Hashirama asks. He approaches Izuna, looking curiously at the stone.

"Why is he here?"

Tobirama sounds as bewildered as Izuna feels. He has never once seen Hashirama near the stone.

"Just the dead," Izuna says and Hashirama hums. He looks tired. There are twigs sticking out of his hair and are growing leaves. Tobirama is staring as if _Hashirama_  is the ghost and Izuna has to bite back a laugh.

"Do you want some time alone?"

The words are out there and Izuna cannot take them back. Tobirama glares at him as if it would be his fault for reminding Hashirama of exactly whose name is also inscribed on that stone.

Hashirama sighs and his fingers come up to trace Tobirama's name.

"I finally got the courage to come here," he whispers and slowly Izuna starts to back away. This is not meant for him.

He makes it to the path before Hashirama speaks again. It's too quiet for him to hear but he looks back anyway.

Tobirama is standing there, more transparent than Izuna had ever seen him. One of his hands is hovering over Hashirama's shoulder and Izuna turns away, not wanting to see anymore.


	32. Ice au 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This did _not_ turn out like I expected

He woke up to a world covered in ice. Frost covered the windows and had started to creep its way up the bed. Everything was silent and he shivered, both from it and the cold.

It had been a few days since he had found himself in the barren landscape of his clan's lands. He was still processing the changes, trying to come to terms with what his brother had become.

He didn't want to move, wanted to go back to sleep and to the past where they were still at war. He got up instead, slipped his feet into the slippers by the bed and went to go find his brother.

His brother was standing outside, barefoot. His clothes were thin and he practically blended into the landscape. His breath fogged the air and Hashirama paused in the doorway, struck suddenly by an emotion he couldn't name.

His brother looked _lonely_. It was the same look he'd had in the past that slipped onto his face when he thought no one was looking. Hashirama's throat tightened and he inhaled soundlessly before stepping out onto the snow-covered ice.

His brother turned at the sound, pale eyes regarding him with a blank, _empty_  look. Hashirama shivered. His brother shouldn't look like that. His eyes had always held some form of emotion, even masked.

"Good morning," his brother said, taking a step towards him.

Involuntarily, Hashirama flinched. His brother stopped, face flickering into a look other than empty. So, there was still emotion in him after all. He wanted to see it, wanted to see his brother's face crack and crumble and show something other than that empty look.

He opened his mouth.

"I wanted peace."

His brother blinked, tilted his head like a stilted puppet.

"We have peace."

Hashirama frowned, stepped forward to spread his arms wide and encompass what he could of the world.

"This is not _peace_. Not the peace _I_  wanted"

He took another step forward, felt the earth crack under his feet. It sprouted around him, small shoots of green that withered away in the cold.

"Our people live in fear," he snapped. "You have chased the Uchiha off their land."

His brother tilted his head again, ice flaking off to land softly on the ground.

"There is no more death," he said. "Isn't this better?"

For a long moment, everything was silent. The faint sounds of the clan stirring echoed around them.

"No," Hashirama said finally. "It is not. I wanted _harmony_ , _cooperation_. Instead, I come back to find that my brother is a tyrant and has gone against everything I had ever wished for."

Finally, there was a crack in Tobirama's facade. Ice spread from his feet, froze the earth under them, crept up the walls of the compound.

"You _died_ ," his brother said. His voice was a dark well, cold as the ice around them. "You don't get to have a say in what I did. You were not around."

"I thought you loved me enough to follow my wishes."

His brother stilled. The world was silent again and Hashirama could feel his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Then, he jumped back just as a spike of ice exploded from the ground where he was standing.

"And when," his brother said, "have you ever _loved_  me."

More spikes of ice rose from the ground and slammed against his hastily erected wood wall.

"I had _three_  people who ever loved me and they're all _dead_."

He spun around, slamming up another wall of wood just as an ice spike launched itself straight at his back. This brother was still standing there, fists clenched. He was shaking.

All Hashirama wanted to do was make him show some emotion. He didn't think it would lead to this.

"You seem to forget that Itama and Kawarama were _my_  brothers too. I could _feel_  their love for me, right up until they died."

Hashirama had forgotten that his brother was a sensor, had forgotten what that meant. He was now abruptly reminded as water froze on his brother's face.

"You don't love me," his brother whispered in a voice choked with tears. "You think I am a soldier without emotion. Your chakra always feels _cold_  when you think of me."

Hashirama was beginning to regret waking up. The world was dropping out from below his feet. The abyss in his heart that had appeared upon his brother's deaths tore open, bled out into the rest of him. He had lost two brothers. He hadn't realized he'd lost the third.

Suddenly, the ice stopped, halted an inch from his face. He hadn't even seen it coming.

" _Leave_ ," his brother choked out. "The wall will part for you. Go find your real brother."

He waved a shaky hand in Hashirama's direction as he crumpled to the ground, shoulders heaving. Hashirama stood there, rooted to the ground, feeling the abyss between them. Could he even fix this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Touka currently off with the Uchiha planning an assault on Tobirama's ice wall.


	33. Minato/Kushina/Tobirama - 3

  
"He's like a cat isn't he," Kushina said as she poked Tobirama's sleeping face. The man didn't even twitch which made something soft bloom in Minato's stomach. He nodded in answer to his wife's question, leaning over her to tuck a strand of white hair behind Tobirama's ear.

"Did you think of a nickname?"

Kushina had the habit of giving nicknames to people she liked. She had already nicknamed nearly all of their close friends. Madara was still resisting.

However, Tobirama had been difficult to find a nickname for.

"River dragon," Kushina said eventually. She had stopped poking their....well, Minato wasn't sure what to call him. They hadn't gotten to the lover's stage _just_  yet.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when Tobirama woke up, blinking bemusedly at them. Kushina jumped the couch to straddle him, leaning into his face with a large grin.

"Morning river dragon!"

The confused blush that spread across Tobirama's face was adorable as he turned to Minato for an explanation. Minato grinned back at him.

"She does that, nicknames people she likes."

Seeing the confusion turn into awe on the man's face made Minato very glad that Kushina had persuaded him into flirting with Tobirama. It was going incredibly well.


	34. My Best Friend Kurama 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which, Tobirama should pay more attention

Tobirama walked out of the forest more relaxed than when he had gone in. Unfortunately, it didn't last as Hashirama was waiting for him at the edge of the partially built wall. He had his eyes closed and his face was tilted up to face the sun. There were flowers in his hair again and Tobirama refused to be the one to help him take them out. He'd already done enough of that during their childhood.

"You've been spending time in the forest lately," his brother said as he stepped closer to the wall. He grinned and Tobirama could swear there were sparkles in his eyes as he leaned forward.

Tobirama leaned back trying to get more space between them.

"It's quiet," he said, stepping away as Hashirama nearly toppled over. "It's good for meditating in."

His brother hummed, falling into step beside him as they walked into the village.

"Are you _sure_? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Tobirama didn't have to turn to know that his brother was probably waggling his eyebrows. Several people around them let out small gasps and walked into things. Civilians, he noted idly.

"Not particularly," he said and could feel his brother's aura of joy vanish. They walked in silence for a few more moments.

The village around them was still being built. There was scaffolding covering several of the administration buildings and some of the houses. They'd had to persuade Hashirama _not_  to build everything with his Mokuton because he only knew how to build one type of building.

Suddenly, Hashirama gasped and flitted about him, pulling Tobirama's shirt away from his shoulders. Tobirama pushed him off.

"Brother, _what_  are you doing?"

"Are _you_  seeing someone," his brother asked. His fingers brushed a scratch from a particularly sharp branch and he leaned closer to inspect it.

Tobirama shoved him away, scowling.

"No, Anija, I am _not_  seeing anyone."

Hashirama ignored him, clasping his hands together and swaying happily. He looked very much like a tree hit by a strong wind.

"Oh, but it makes so much sense! You going off into the woods every other day. You're having a tryst!"

Tobirama sighed, resisting the urge to slap a hand on his face or better yet, his brother's.

"I have made a friend," he said reluctantly.

He immediately winced as his brother gasped loudly and tossed an arm around his shoulders, babbling on about how wonderful it was that he was making friends. He already regretted coming out of the forest.

"....and you must invite them to dinner!"

"What?"

Hashirama pouted at him. It might have worked when they were children, but spending _years_  seeing that pout tended to give one an immunity.

"I was _saying_  that you should invite your friend to dinner this Friday! Mito will be home and we'd both love to meet them."

"Sure," Tobirama said absently, already wondering if his brother would notice him living in the forest full time. Unfortunately, he probably would. Though not for a long time. He could get away with it for a few weeks before his brother found out.

"Excellent! Then we'll see you both this Friday!"

_What?_

He rewound the last few moments of conversation in his mind and stopped abruptly, dislodging his brother, as he realized that he'd agreed to invite the _nine-tails_  to dinner. How was he going to explain this?


	35. Obito as MadaTobi's Kid - Branch 1 (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A second snippet from the first branch au of the Obito as MadaTobi's kid au. [If anyone has naming suggestions for aus please give them to me. I am desperate]

"So," Minato said, "the Nidaime's son huh?"

Obito didn't look up from the figure on the bed. His fingers were still on his mother's wrist, feeling the steady pulse.

"I told the Sandaime," he said eventually. "I figured he would have told you.

Minato hummed, fell silent.

The piece of Obito's heart that had been frozen in ice all this time, slowly thawed. His mother was _here_  and not dead like history had said. He was _here_.

He blinked. His eyes felt wet. Oh god, if he started crying Bakashi would never let him hear the end of it.


	36. Ice Au 5

Hashirama reached the wall and stopped. Large and opaque, it stretched to the sky. He couldn't make out anything beyond it.

"The wall will part for you," his brother had said.

He could see it happening. The ice cracked and melted at the places he touched. Could he take down the entire wall this way? Would Tobirama _let_  him?

He stepped away from the wall. The snow crunched under his boots and he frowned at the sound. It was all he had heard in this landscape.

He walked along the wall, wondered how far it extended. It seemed to go on in an endless stretch of ice.

Then, he came to a gap, a black spot, the only part of the wall not covered in ice. It was a stone, he realized as he got closer. Smooth and black, it shone in the light. He could almost see his reflection in it. It wasn't inscribed, not on this side anyway.

He placed a hand on the wall. The ice cracked and shattered until it formed a large enough gap. He stepped through and the wall reformed behind him.

On this side, the stone had engravings. The Senju clan symbol, a name and a set of dates. He stared at it, mind not comprehending.

Then, he stumbled backward. Snow rose up around him in a cloud. It was _his_  gravestone. His with flowers covered in ice before it. 

* * *

 

Someone was already at Hashirama's grave when Madara arrived. He opened his mouth to call out and froze.

Long, dark brown hair covered red armor. He swallowed. It couldn't be. Hashirama was _dead_. He stepped forward, opened his mouth to call out and the figure turned.

Senju Hashirama stared back at him, eyes wide. All Madara could do was throw back his head and laugh. Apparently, regret and guilt weren't enough. He had to start seeing ghosts too.

"Madara?"

It was Hashirama's voice. It haunted his dreams and now it was haunting his waking moments.

"Hello Hashirama," he said walking forward and ignoring the ghost. He bent to place the flowers on the grave. They stood out bright against the ice. They would freeze soon like all the others.

"Kagami has learned the Great Fireball Jutsu," he said and the ghost made a startled sound. "We're very proud of him."

"Congrats," the ghost said confusedly.

"I can start teaching him the greater Katons now," Madara continued. He ignored the ghost's questioning tone, continued talking about the clan and the latest changes.

Snow crunched underneath a boot and he stopped. Ghosts didn't make walking sounds. He ignored it, resumed speaking. It must have been the wind.

The sound came again and again until there was a touch on his shoulder, warm and heavy.

His head jerked up, Sharingan out and spinning. No genjutsu met his eyes, no henge, it was real.

"Hasirama," he whispered, reaching out a shaking hand to touch his friend's neck and feel the strong pulse that beat there.

"You're _alive_ "

* * *

 

The abyss in Hashirama's heart was still bleeding. Seeing Madara break at his touch had made it worse.

Madara's fingers trembled on his neck and he followed the line of Madara's arm to see that the rest of him was shaking too. He swallowed, stepped forward and enclosed his friend in a gentle hug.

"I'm alive," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

They stayed like that for a long time. The temperature dipped, but it wasn't until the light had started to recede that they parted.

"How long," Madara said quietly into the silence, "how long have you been alive?"

Hashirama shrugged, casting a glance at the sky. The air was growing colder, the world darker and they would have to find shelter soon.

"A few days," he said. "I...." - he took a breath, looked at the ground - "the Mokuton saved me. It turned me into a tree until I recovered."

There was silence again. It built and built until he could stand it no longer. His time with his brother had been spent in silence and he hated it. He didn't want the same thing to happen with Madara.

"I'm sorry," he blurted. "I didn't think my brother would do this."

At the mention of his brother, Madara tensed and glanced around. The sight stabbed at him. Madara should never be that afraid.

"No one did," he said, turning back to Hashirama. "It wasn't your fault."

"He didn't honor my wishes," Hashirama said, frowning at the world around them. "This isn't what I wanted."

Madara frowned at him. Then, his eyes slid away to the gravestone behind him. Hashirama followed his gaze. They watched the stone for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

"He didn't remove the flowers," Madara murmured, almost to himself. "He visits, but he never removes the flowers."

He stepped back from the stone and started to pace. Hashirama smiled at the sight. It was something his friend had done, before at the river, whenever he was trying to figure something out.

"He let Izuna go. He let _me_  go."

Hashirama opened his mouth, then closed it. Madara had stopped pacing, was standing there with eyes wide open and was staring at the wall as if it had never been there.

"He _let_  us go," he breathed. "You told him to make peace and he let us go. Let the _Uchiha_  go. Built a wall and changed the climate, but never once did his ice encroach upon our land."

Hashirama opened his mouth to speak but closed it again. Madara had gotten like this sometimes, before, when he was chasing a path and reaching a conclusion that he couldn't fathom.

"We all heard your wish," Madara said slowly as if he was unsure of what he was saying, "that day on the battlefield. We heard him scream like-"

"-his heart was gone," Hasirama finished for him. For the second time that day, the world was dropping out from underneath him.

"He honored your wish in the only way he could," Madara confirmed for him.

Hashirama staggered back, reached a shaking hand to clutch at his chest. His heart was shattering and the pieces stabbed at his lungs. He breathed in, a harsh inhale and was worried he would cough out blood.

The stone at his back _burned_.

What had he _done_?

His brother, grieving and wounded in a way that he should have been able to comprehend, trying to do his best to honor whatever he could of his last wish. And he had just trampled all over it.

He pushed himself away from the stone in horror, rushed to wall, placed his hand against it. Nothing

The cold seeped into his gloves as he stepped back, roared and _slammed_  himself against the wall.

" _Let me in!_ "

The impact jarred his bones. Behind him, Madara was yelling.

He slammed himself against the wall over and over again, screaming apologies and pleas until he collapsed against it. His shoulders heaved, his body shook and his heart was gone, trapped in grief on the other side of the wall.


	37. Time travel (as seen from a non time traveler)

  
"If you wanted me dead," Tobirama said, kneeling down beside him, "your mistake was giving my brother the choice."

Madara stared at him. The wound in his chest continued to drip blood and he could feel his grasp on Hashirama's kunai slipping. His breath came in harsh pants and it hurt to move, but he summoned his strongest glare.

Tobirama didn't even flinch. His hands came up to touch the wound. They were glowing, Madara noticed distantly. There were shouts of alarm around him. He tried to move his arm, but one of Tobirama's knees was pressing gently against his hand. It wasn't all of his weight; he knew that instantly.

"Don't move," Tobirama ordered. "I'm not entirely sure I remember how to do this."

There were more shouts of alarm and for a moment, Madara wanted to join them. But the pain was vanishing, the wound slowly knitting together underneath Tobirama's hands.

"You hear whispers in your head don't you," he asked. His eyes were narrowed, but they seemed to stare right _through_  Madara. Madara felt like his soul was being flayed open and all the secret parts of himself were laid bare.

He flinched, tried to twist away. Tobirama's knee pressed more firmly onto his hand. Was this _really_ Hashirama's brother?

He opened his Sharingan, nothing changed. Tobirama _met_  his eyes, held his gaze. He looked old all of a sudden and if Madara didn't know better, he would have thought _he_  was older.

"You shouldn't listen to the shadows, you know."

His hands stopped glowing and before Madara could react, Tobirama was pulling him to his feet.

"Beware of white monsters who talk about red moons," he said cryptically. And then, as Madara was still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened, he was gone.

Madara whirled on Hashirama, who looked just as confused.

"What the _fuck_  is wrong with your brother?"

Hashirama just looked at him helplessly before patting him down to make sure he wasn't injured. The wound in his chest was gone. Its only sign, his torn and bloodied shirt.

"There's not even a scar," his friend said and hugged him tightly. Madara sighed. Sometimes, he really regretted meeting Hashirama on the river bank. 


	38. My Best Friend Kurama 3

  
"You did _what_ ," Kurama roared. Above them, a flock of birds took flight, winging their way towards the blazing sun in an effort to get away from the screams.

Tobirama stayed where he was, bowed forward and staring at the ground. Kurama rumbled angrily above him. His tails lashed in the air, sent water flying everywhere. Tobirama felt it drench him, trickle down into his sandals and mentally patted himself on the back for perfecting the ability to draw water out of clothing. One too many times accidentally soaking himself when creating jutsu had certainly helped with that.

"Exactly _how_  am I supposed to show up at your brother's house? I am a _40 foot_  fox in case you forgot. I'd crush it."

Tobirama straightened, smiling slightly.

"I have a plan for that," he said. "Do you think you could learn to use a henge?"  
 __

* * *

Friday night came quickly, but luckily Kurama had managed to make a basic henge with his tails. Tobirama had given him a crash course in human manners and had gotten him some clothing to wear. Kurama's henge had orange hair, so Tobirama had gotten him a black outfit with red trim. Kurama had wanted it to be red which led to another discussion on human fashion.

Tobirama looked him up and down, looking for any mistakes in the henge or the way he wore his clothing. Kurama's teeth were a little sharp, but that was fine. Many clans had too sharp teeth. It wasn't uncommon.

"How do I look," Kurama asked him. There was a large deer corpse lying beside him.

"Acceptable," Tobirama said, raising an eyebrow at the corpse. "Is that your gift?"

Kurama shrugged, sinuous yet strangely awkward.

"Couldn't think of anything else."

He picked it up with one hand. Blood stained his hand and something, most likely an organ fell out with a loud plop. Tobirama sighed, slapping a hand to his face.

"Leave it," he said. "The soju can be from both of us."


	39. Ghost Tobi 4

Izuna panted, black ash at his feet. The ugly brown statue was gone, lay charred on the ground behind him. His eyes hurt. There was still black fire burning on the ground.

"You did it," Tobirama said next to him. He was covered in blue light and looked happier than Izuna had ever seen him. "Now the village will be safe."

Izuna took a breath and coughed out ash. Victory swirled in him mixed with loss.

"Will you move on now," he asked quietly.

Tobirama snorted, tried to nudge the black ash with a foot. It went straight through and Izuna burst out laughing as Tobirama frowned.

"The main threat to the village might have been destroyed, but there will be more," Tobirama said. "You are stuck with me."

Izuna leaned on the wall of the cave, still laughing.

"Thank god," he said. "Our brother's would drive me nuts otherwise."


	40. Reincarnation au

  
He wants to hate the village, hate the way people stare at him in fear and whisper about the demon that they think he is. But, part of him, the part that knew _why_  he was treated that way, whispered about an angry man who had left the village and a clan that was ostracized. He listened to that part that seemed so much _older_  than he actually was. It had good advice, kept him from being unnoticed and unblamed whenever he pulled off pranks.

And if the Second's face was mostly left untouched, it wasn't like anyone would notice.

It wasn't until Wave that he realized what that part was. 

* * *

  
He dreamed of a river, wide and rushing. The forest was behind him and there was a man standing on the other side. He was skipping rocks.

Naruto wanted to speak, to greet him, criticize him on his rock skipping, something. But, his voice was trapped behind his lips. The sound of rocks skipping over water continued.

He swallowed down the fear, the whisper that told him that if he spoke he would lose part of himself. He didn't _have_  much of himself, so it wouldn't matter. He could just make a new mask.

He stepped forward, a whisper of grass underfoot and the rocks stopped.

"Hello," he said quietly. He could be quiet, though he did not often have reason to.

The man looked up, smiled. Naruto stepped forward, ignored the water that parted at his touch and stepped onto the other side of the riverbank.

Up close, the man looked undeniably familiar. Short white hair mirrored his own haircut and the red tattoos had Naruto reaching up to touch his own whiskers.

"Hello," the man said and Naruto realized that it was the same voice that guided him away from bad decisions.

"You! How did you get into my head?"

Naruto pointed a finger at the man, who laughed.

"I've always been here," he said. "It's only now that you've found out."

Naruto smiled and lurched forward to hug the man. The world whirled around them and that constant disconnected feeling he'd had forever vanished. 

* * *

 

He woke up, staring at the wooden ceiling of Tazuna's house. This was not what he had been expecting when he hugged the man in the dream. The influx of his past life's memories would take a while to organize. This life's were easier but far more terrible.

Soft breathing to the side made him shift. The futon rustled slightly as he turned onto his side to stare at Sasuke's sleeping form. That was a problem.

It wasn't likely that his teammates would notice his personality shift, especially not if he kept up the act. And wasn't that a surprise, finding out that he acted like his brother in this life. His sensei would most likely notice, however, reincarnation would not be first on the list of reasons. He could hold the mask together until they got to the village.

He sighed quietly and turned to look at the ceiling again. Then, there was the issue of his tenant. The fox was quiet, asleep. But he'd have to talk to him soon.

He grumbled under his breath. There were too many problems. Reincarnation was turning out to be a pain.


	41. Coffee Shop Au

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because everyone must write one at least once

The Hidden Leaf was a small cafe surrounded by several towering oak trees. It was located on the edge of the city, almost eaten by the forest surrounding it. Due to its hidden location, the cafe didn’t get many visitors, only serving a few faithful each day. Tobirama was thankful. It was hard enough to share the coffee as it was.

This particular morning brought the Leaf’s loudest customer, Madara. He stalked in, door nearly shattering behind him, and stomped up to the counter. The chairs on the other side of the room _rattled_  and Tobirama was already starting to make the strongest brew they had.

“Coffee,” Madara growled. “Black”

Madara could be an utter terror on his bad days, but he always said _please_ to Tobirama. He rang Madara up for the order, resisting the urge to ask what happened. Madara may have been his brother’s best friend, but he and Tobirama were never close.

He turned back to the coffee machine, removing the pot and pouring the finished brew into a cup. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Madara hovering at the counter. His suit was rumpled, the collar showing more skin than it normally would. Odd.

He turned to grab a lid then hesitated. Madara looked exhausted. He was slumping against the counter, long hair falling into his face. Tobirama moved towards the caramel syrup instead, adding a pump into the drink.

He stirred, put the lid on and then hesitated again. Madara was currently the only customer. He didn’t _have_  to write his name on the cup. He snuck another glance at the man.

His face was almost touching the counter, eyes nearly closed. Tobirama grabbed the pen, inked out a note and then placed the cup on the counter.

“Here you go”

Madara reached for the cup with a small mumble of thanks. Tobirama turned away to wipe the machine, smiling slightly at Madara’s surprised hum. Madara had only ordered caramel syrup once, but Tobirama still remembered the pleased look on his face when he took a sip.

He didn’t _dislike_  Madara; he just found him to be a bit much. If Madara could tone down the dramatics a bit, they’d probably be great friends. Very carefully, he didn’t think about anything more.

Then, later, when he got a simple thank you text, he allowed himself to hope.


	42. Izuna fails at love

Uchiha Izuna knew he was in love instantly. The voice, deep, old and slightly rough, gripped him by the balls and yanked him until he was standing with the rest of the audience, clapping.

“Touka,” he whispered to his friend as the audience began to disperse, “I think I’m in love.”

Touka, the bitch, just laughed hysterically. It dissolved into wheezing breaths as several people looked over at them. Izuna sank into his seat, tried to disappear.

“Oh my god,” Touka said between gasps of air. “I have to tell him you said that. This is hilarious.”

She straightened up, grabbed him by the arm and tugged him out of his chair. Despite his protests, she towed him to the back and they slipped out the side door into a back hallway.

Touka led them forward, greeting several members of the orchestra as they made their way towards the dressing rooms. Izuna tried to make one last protest, but she ignored him, opening the door and pushing him in.

“Heyy cousin, you’ve got an admirer.”

Izuna caught a flash of pale, white hair before the red facial tattoos drew his attention. He had seen those tattoos before, on the person who had taken the last cinnamon cake at the café this morning. He burned with fury. Those cinnamon cakes were the only taste of heaven in this world. 

“ _You_!”

Touka’s cousin blinked at him and Izuna glared back.

“You took the last cinnamon cake! They’re my favorite and it was _the last_  one.”

The man blinked again and the most adorable confused look crossed his face.

“Sorry?”

“You better be,” Izuna hissed, stepping into his face. The pale red eyeshadow really brought out his eyes, he noted absently.

“The Leaf only makes 50 of those a day and they’re all out of ingredients! I won’t be able to get one until Monday.”

Behind him, he could hear Touka laughing.

“Tobi,” she said, still wheezing. “You didn’t tell me you met this cutie before.”

She slapped Izuna on the back and unprepared, he stumbled straight into Tobi. He had a nice chest, Izuna decided before pushing himself away and glaring at Touka.

“I take it back,” he said. “I’m _not_  in love.”

Tobi just looked bewildered as Touka burst out laughing again. Izuna decided he liked that look, especially with the faint pink tinting his cheeks. No! He _couldn't_ like him. He stole his cake. 

“You owe me a cinnamon cake,” he said and walked out. Very faintly, he could hear Tobi asking Touka what happened.

Izuna got halfway down the hallway before he thumped his head against a wall.

“You owe me a cinnamon cake,” he mumbled. “ _Who_ says that? I’m an idiot. Madara was right, I am terrible at this.”

He continued berating himself for several minutes until he smelled cinnamon. He opened his eyes.

The most delicious looking cake met his eyes. Leaf-shaped icing topped a warm brown cake, pouring down the sides in a decadent fall. Izuna licked his lips, heard laughter.

He looked up to see what angel had delivered this cake; it was Tobi.

“For you,” Tobi said, placing the box into his hands. “Touka kept talking about you and said she was bringing you to the concert, so I wanted to get you a gift as thanks for coming. She said you liked cinnamon cake so I decided to get my favorite.”

Okay, Izuna had officially changed his mind. Anyone who saved him the last piece of cinnamon cake couldn't be that bad after all. And Tobi was pretty with white hair, the red tattoos and he could _just_  see the hint of muscle beneath the black suit.

“Marry me,” Izuna blurted. He would have covered his face in shame, but he wouldn’t risk dropping the cake. And besides, Tobi’s startled laugh was worth it. That settled it, Izuna was _most definitely_  in love.


	43. Tobi/Kurama - Married to a Fox God 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one's a little spicy.

Tobirama woke to the sensation of fire-wind chakra being squeezed into a tiny body. He bolted upright, fingers already coming together to cast the strongest water jutsu he knew and blinked as he registered the other person in the room.

 A tall red-headed man stared at him with red eyes. He was naked, Tobirama realized as his gaze traveled downward, very muscular too.

“Hello, husband,” the man rumbled, reaching out a hand to poke him in the chest. His nails were very sharp, Tobirama noted. Then the term of address registered. There was only one being who ever called him husband.

“ _Kurama?_ ”

Kurama grinned at him, hopping onto the bed. The mattress creaked and for a moment, Tobirama thought the frame would break. The bed jolted again as Kurama settled next to him, wrapping a tanned arm around his shoulders.

Kurama leaned in, tongue flicking out to lick his neck. Tobirama squeaked, edged away. Kurama pouted.

“What are you _doing_?”

Kurama’s other hand came up to trail down his chest. Tobirama jumped.

“You taste like skin,” Kurama said, sounding disappointed. He had licked Tobirama once, had soaked him in spit from head to toe because he had been very large then. But, his husband had tasted delicious. He had hoped it would be the same in a human form. It was not; all he had tasted was skin and sweat.

He moved the hand down his husband’s chest. His husband had made the most wonderful noises the other day when Kurama had wrapped his tails around him. He wanted to hear those noises again and there was no risk of crushing him this time.

Tobirama squeaked again, tried to catch Kurama’s hand but Kurama flicked a nipple and his hand fell back to his side. He did it again, this time tugging at it. His husband gasped, high and slightly breathy.

“How,” he managed to say, before the rest of the words dissolved into a moan. Kurama nuzzled his neck, trying to catch the same water-lightning scent he could smell in his other form.

“I learned how to shapeshift,” Kurama rumbled and grinned against his husband’s neck. Tobirama’s breathing hitched as he sank into Kurama’s grip.

Kurama hummed, pleased. However, before he could do anything else, the door burst open.

“Tobi, you’ll never guess what- “

Tobirama startled, yanking up the sheets until the blue fabric covered them both. Hashirama startled too, eyes darting between them in surprise and confusion.

“Our resident Fox God is gone,” Tobirama said dryly. Hashirama nodded, opening his mouth to speak.

“He’s right here,” Tobirama said pointing at Kurama. Kurama grinned showing too sharp teeth and leaned forward.

“Hello brother-in-law,” he said politely.

Hashirama screamed.


	44. Obito as MadaTobi's Kid - Branch 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is more time travel, except to the past, and Obito meets a long lost relative...sort of.

Uchiha Obito was quite happy to die. Death meant he would see his mom, Uncle Hashi, and Aunt Mito in the Pure Land and he was looking forward to it. Unfortunately, it seemed that the universe hated him because he woke up to the sound of a battlefield.

He groaned and opened his eyes to stabbing sunlight.

“The fuck,” he muttered. “I thought they won.”

He had given Kakashi the last of his power, his remaining eye. But, now, he could see out of both of them, see the green of the forest and the way the trees fell due to the battle on the other side.

He blinked, letting his eyes adjust to the sunlight and got to his feet. Glancing around him, he could see that his father’s gunbai had survived the trip with him. Somehow, he had the feeling that Rin had something to do with this.

He rolled his eyes at the sky and mouthed _why_ before making his way through the trees to the battle beyond.

* * *

 

Obito slapped a hand to his face when he reached the battlefield. _Of course,_  the universe would put him here.

On the battlefield, a giant wood dragon burst from the earth accompanied by a scream of his father’s name. Apparently, Uncle Hashi _had_  always been this dramatic.

He let his eyes skim over the rest of the field. A flash of white hair made him freeze. His breath stopped and involuntarily, he stepped closer.

_Mom_

His mother looked terribly young, focused on a male Uchiha that looked scarily similar to his father. Uncle Izuna perhaps?

“Let’s make peace Madara,” Uncle Hashi said and all of a sudden he had a terrible feeling about what time he had landed himself in.

His mother had told him stories about Uncle Izuna in battle, stories about how his Uncle’s death made his father go mad. Obito tightened his grip on the gunbai, took a deep breath and used Kamui.

He appeared just in time to block his mother’s strike.

“You don’t want to do that m- _Tobirama_ ,” he said, as his mother’s sword tore through the gunbai and into his shoulder. Obito grimaced at the pain, but he was used to worse.

He reached out his senses to check on his Uncle, who seemed unhurt but surprised. His mother’s chakra, on the other hand, was a mini-storm of water-lightning.

“ _Obito_ ” his mother breathed, looking like he did the first time he saw Obito. Obito winced and raised his uninjured arm to wave.

“Hi mom”

Behind him, Uncle Izuna choked, dropping his blade and stumbling back.

“ _Mom_?”

Both of them ignored him.

His mother’s eyes flicked down to the sword in his shoulder then back up to his face. He frowned and Obito shifted under the gaze.

“It’s not my fault,” he blurted. “I thought I’d wake up in the Pure Land.”

That was the wrong thing to say. His mother picked up Uncle Izuna’s sword and glared at him when he tried to protest.

“ _This_ ,” his mother said in a dark tone, “is all your father’s fault.”

Obito had only heard this tone once when he had been stupid enough to play with his mother’s Edo Tensei. He was glad it wasn’t directed at him this time.

“I’m pretty sure it was my teammate Rin’s,” he said as his mother started walking. He hurried to catch up. Uncle Izuna, still in shock, grabbed an offered blade from a clansman and joined them.

“Regardless,” his mother said as they fell into step beside him, “I am going to _gut_  your father.”

“ _You’re_  a girl,” Uncle Izuna manages to say and both of them whirl around to glare at him. Obito rolls his eyes at his uncle. He supposed he could be forgiven given that he was dead by the time his mother had invented _that_  particular jutsu.

“He’s my mother,” Obito says, “because _he_  was the one who stuck around.”

He trades a glance with his mother before his mother turns to neatly clobber an opportunistic Uchiha with the hilt of his sword.

“ _I_ ,” Obito says relishing the way his uncle’s face turns a little green, “am the product of science.”

His mother laughed, in a way Obito had never heard before, as he clobbered another Uchiha. By this time, his father had become aware of what was going on and was making his way towards them. Both Senju and Uchiha jumped out of his way as he stomped over.

“Izuna!”

His mother’s sword blocked his way and Obito shuddered, dragged his Uncle out of the way.

“Madara,” his mother said pleasantly, swinging the sword to cut his father’s gunbai in half, “this is all your fault.”

His father looked disgruntled, dodging his mother’s strikes gracefully. Obito turned away, towards the Uncle he had never gotten to know and stuck out his hand.

“Uchiha Obito,” he said and his uncle made a noise like a dying fire, “it’s nice to meet you.”


	45. Tobi/Kurama - Married to a Fox God 5

Currently, there was only one park in the village. It consisted of trees, a single bench and a smooth flat stump that people used as a table. It was a disappointment.

Kurama glared at it. His red hair rose and Tobirama paused as he was setting the shogi board down.

"Are you bristling?"

Kurama reached up to pat his head, smooth his hair down. One of his braids refused to go down, reached out to snap angrily at the air.

"You can't even call this a _park_ "

He gestured broadly to their surroundings.

Tobirama looked around, then back at Kurama. His husband's hair shone and he could see faint orange tints in the braids. There were nine of them. He had counted when they were still in bed, listening to Hashirama screaming in the kitchen.

"It'll grow," he said. "Everything is new and the village is still being planned."

He put the shogi board down and settled himself beside it, picking up a piece. The wind ruffled his hair and he leaned into it, turned his face to absorb the sun.

"Are you coming?"

His husband nodded, walking over to settle himself on the other side of the board. One of his braids curled around to pick up a piece and Tobirama laughed.

"You're supposed to use your hands"

Unfortunately, Kurama's skin was too dark to show a blush, but his hair flattened itself to his skull and he picked up one of the pieces with a hand and placed it on the board. Tobirama smiled, placed his own piece down.

Around them, the park remained quiet. The distant chatter of the village rose and fell as people passed them by, some even stopping to wave. Kurama garnered a lot of curious looks. No one had seen him before this morning and the grapevine was going wild with speculation as to who he was. Tobirama could spot several prominent clan members pass by, whispering to each other about his shogi partner.

"I wonder how long it will be before brother shows up," he said as he moved another piece.

Kurama hummed, staring at the board. His sharp nails tapped a piece absently as he thought of a strategy. It was different, seeing him like this. His chakra felt dense, condensed into a small body as it was. He moved with a grace only seen in the Inuzuka and the Hatake, who were always a little _wilder_  than most shinobi. Tobirama would know him anywhere.

* * *

 

It wasn't until the day warmed that Uchiha Madara showed up.

Tobirama sensed him coming, fire-ash blazing with curiosity. He placed another piece down. Kurama frowned and placed his own, blocking his path.

"Madara's coming," he said, eying the board.

Kurama hummed. One of his braids shot out to wrap around Tobirama's wrist, still holding a shogi piece. 

"Shall we give him a show?"

Tobirama tensed, eyes flickering to the sides before looking back at him. Kurama grinned at the expression on his face, shy and curious. 

"What _kind_  of show?"

Kurama stood, his braid releasing Tobirama's wrist, and stepped over to drape himself across Tobirama's shoulders. He could still reach his pieces from here, he observed. 

He slid a hand underneath the collar of Tobirama's shirt, let his nails scrape lightly against the skin. His husband jumped. 

"He looked lovely that day didn't he," Kurama whispered in his ear, "when he saw my tails curled around you?"

Madara's chakra was getting closer, heading up the path towards them. Kurama nipped at his neck, too sharp teeth scraping gently. 

"I could feel the jealousy rolling off him," Kurama rumbled, stroking a hand down his chest before gesturing pointedly at the shogi board with his other hand. 

Tobirama laughed, a near breathless gasp of air. 

"Are you trying to distract me?"

Kurama leaned in to lick his ear, scrape his teeth gently across the shell. There was a choking, strangled sound from somewhere - Madara probably. 

"Perhaps," Kurama said before his red eyes flickered to the left. "We have company."

Tobirama looked up, face slightly flushed to meet Madara's eyes, wide and red with the Sharingan and smiled. 

"Hello Madara"

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to use any of these ideas, feel free! Just let me know if you post them anywhere :)  
> Also, concrit's fine if you wanna leave it. Just be aware that these _are_ snippets and so naturally don't have a lot of trappings that an actual fic would have.  
> Also, hit me up on [ Curious Cat](https://curiouscat.me/writingfish) if you have questions or stuff. You can ask on anon too.


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